Attachment for footwear.



No. 807,150. PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905. H. 0. BOISE. ATTACHMENT FOR FOOTWEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14. 1905.

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* A MK ATTOR s V UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

ATTACHMENT FOR FQOTWEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nee. 1'2, 1905.

Application filed July 14, 1905. Serial No. 269,612.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, HENRY OoPLEY Boron, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hanford, in the county of Kings and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Attachment for Footwear, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to footwear; and it consists, substantially, in the improvements hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

The invention has referencemore especially to attachments for footwear, and is applicable alike to all forms thereof, such'as shoes, boots, gaiters, leggings, and the like, or such as are ordinarily denominated in the trade as full-top or high-top contradistinction to the low-quarter type, and such also as are formed with an opening therein either at the front or side, along or adjacent to the edges of which are disposed suitable eyelets or hooks for receiving and engaging the usual lacing-cord for the article.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide means for enabling a shoe, boot, or the like of the character referred to to be worn without liability of binding, cramping, or pinching at the curve or bend of the ankle-joint of the wearer of the articleand at the same time retaining all the advantages of neatness and closeness of fit of the article upon the foot derivable from the hooks and lacing-cord therefor.

A further object is to provide means for this purpose which are simple in their embodiment and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, besides being capable of ready application, thoroughly effective and reliable in use, and also capable of long and continued service.

The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an ordinary shoe having my improvements embodied in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view in detail of an attachment constructed in accordance with my improvements. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are perspective views of the difierent attaching and and Fig.'6 is a plan view of the plate shown in Fig. 5.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated that my im-' provements are adapted for use upon the specified kind of footwear already manufactured, and in the form of my improvements herein shown I employ an attachment of spe cial construction (either single or plural in character, according to the range of action thereof desired) which is applied to opposite hooks at the sides of the opening in the article and which in no manner interferes with the placing of the article upon the foot or with its removal from the foot. Special means are employed for effecting adjustments of the attachment in' conformity with the ease or'degree of comfort desired, and while I have herein represented my improvements in a certain preferred embodiment it will be understood, of course, that I am not limited thereto in precise detail, since immaterial changes therein may be made coming within the scope of my invention.

My improvements comprise, preferably, a plurality of devices, and inasmuch as they are all alike in construction and operation a specific description of but one of them will now be given.

Reference being had to the drawings by the designating characters thereon, 1 represents an ordinary shoe of the character referred to, the same being provided in the present instance with an opening 2 at the front, provided along or adjacent to the edges thereof with suitably-disposed eyelets or hooks 3 for receiving and engaging an ordinary lacing-cord 4, said cord, as herein shown, being tied into the usual bow-knot 5 at that part of the shoe which corresponds with the bend or curve of the ankle-joint of the wearer of the shoe, or about the lower point of intersection of such bend or curve with the foot of the wearer. Applied to the front of the shoe and extending across the said opening 2 thereof, at suitable intervals intervening between the boW-knot 5 and the upper edge of the shoe, are a plurality of attachments 7 constituting my improvements. Each of the attachments 7 embodies a plate 8, (see Fig. 3,) having therein a slot 9, in one edge of which is formed a notch 10, said plate being applied to one of the hooks 11 on one side of the opening 2 of the shoe in such manner that the shank of the hook will be received adjusting plates employed with the device, in the said notch 10, with the bill of the hook ICC extending over the outer surface of the plate beyond the notch. In this way .a convenient and permanent attachment of the device to the shoe may be had by first applying the said plate and then flattening the bill of the hook thereupon. Extending through the slot 9 from the under side of the plate is one portion 12 of an elastic member 13, the cor-v responding portion 14 of which is extended through a slot 15 in a plate 16, having therein an open-ended slot 17 for attachment of this plate to an op ositely-disposed hook 19 on the shoe, said s ot having in the edge thereof a notch 20, in which is received the shank of thishook. Preferably the said plate 16 is also formed with a finger-piece 21, which may be taken hold of for the purpose of conveniently attaching the plate to the hook or disconnecting the same therefrom in the use of my improved attachment on the shoe.

In Figs. 2 and 4 is shown an adjusting device for the elastic member 13, embodying a plate 22, having triplicate slots 23 therein separated from each other by ribs 2 1, it being observed in Fig. 2 that the ends of the elastic member 13 are inserted through the middle of this plate from the under side of the latter, thence extended reversely over the adjacent ribs 24 and through the outermost slots 23 and under the. parallel edge portions 25 of the late. In this way, by simply taking hold of the said ends and drawing upon them, it is apparent that the member may be adjusted as to length and also to give a greater or less tension or degree of elasticity, as may be required, under the varying circumstances of use of the device.

My improved attachment, as hereinbefore set forth, may be said to comprise practically a free-ended loop in the bights of which are supported suitable means for applying the structure to oppositely-disposed hooks at the front of an article of footwear, the ends of the loop being provided with an adjusting device.

It will be understood that the construction of each of the elements of the attachment herein illustrated and described may be varied in practice, it being observed that each of the plates referred to is preferably corrugated both for purposes of strength and ornament'ality.

When applied to the front of an article of footwear, my improved attachment enables the'art-icle to be Worn upon the foot with the greatest comfort and without in any manner requiring alteration of the usual structure of the article.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device for footwear, of the character specified, comprising an elastic free-ended loop for application to the article across the opening therein, at or near the bend in the article corresponding to the ankle bend of the wearer of the article, said loop being provided in the bights thereof with means for permanently attaching the same to the hook on one side of the opening, and for releasable attachment thereof to the hook on the op 0- site side of the opening, and further provided with a plate having triplicate slots therein separated by ribs, with the ends of the loop extending through the central slot reversely and over the ribs, thence beneath the adj acent edge portions of the plate.

2. A device for footwear, of the character specified, comprising an elastic free-ended loop for application to the article across the opening therein at or near the bend in the article corresponding to the ankle bend of the wearer of the article, and means supported in bights of the loop for attaching the same to hooks on opposite sides of said opening, said loop being provided with a plate having triplicate slots therein separated by ribs, with the ends of the loop extending through the central slot reversely and over the ribs and through the outer slots, thence beneath the adjacent edge portions of the plate.

3. A device for footwear, of the character specified, comprising an elastic member for application to the article across the o ening therein at or near the bend in the artic e corresponding to the ankle bend of the wearer of the article, said member being provided at one end with means for permanently attaching the same to a hook on one side of the opening and at the other end with means for releasable attachment thereof to a hook on the opposite side of said opening, said second-named means embodying a plate provided with a finger-grip and having a slot through which a portion of the loop extends, and also an open-ended slot for receiving the shank of the hook.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY COPLEY BOICE.

Witnesses:

RoBT. W. MILLER, JOHN R. ELLIs.

IOC 

